USDA Forest Service · California
Sterling Lake Campground
USDA Forest Service · California, United States
- Cost
- Overnight Use: Single Site: $15 per night
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,051 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · Verizon weak · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- LAKE STERLING (NFSR 0085-002) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Nearest town
- Soda Springs, CA
About
US Forest Service campground. Sterling Lake Campground is adjacent to Sterling Lake. Campground is located on a steep, winding road and supplies must be hiked in a short distance (approx. 400 feet) after parking your car. Pack out what you pack in. Not reservable through Recreation.gov, so plan on first-come, first-served; check with the ranger district for current conditions and fees.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 24° | 5° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 38° | 23° | 7° | 51° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 40° | 25° | 8° | 66° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 44° | 26° | 5° | 58° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 58° | 35° | 21° | 68° | 6 of 11 |
| June | 68° | 44° | 28° | 86° | 2 of 11 |
| July | 80° | 52° | 41° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 78° | 53° | 45° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 47° | 36° | 80° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 62° | 37° | 23° | 75° | 6 of 10 |
| November | 46° | 30° | 10° | 66° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 38° | 24° | 11° | 58° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Hampshire Rocks · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 33 sites
- Big Bend Group (Yuba River) · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 2 sites
- Meadow Lake Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Meadow Lake Shoreline Campground · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi
- Indian Springs · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 36 sites
All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-06. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.